Tunneling device



' Jan. 22, 1929. 1,699,936

H. M. WATCHORN TUNNELING DEVICE Filed Oct, 28, 1927 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 ATTORNEY Jan. 22, 1929. I 1,699,936

H. M. WATCHORN 'TUNNELING DEVICE Filed Oct. 28, 1 927 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 .x? INVENTOR h ATCf/OP/V ATTORNEY houses, or the like for without injuring in any Patented Jan. 22, 1929.

na'nar'm wmrcnoan, or SAPULPA, OKLAHOMA.

runnnnme-nnvrcn.

My invention relatesto improvements in tunneling devices, and 1t consists in the combinations, constructions, and arrangements herein described and claimed;

An object of my invention is to provide a" tunneling device which adapted to bore holes in the ground beneath streets, alleys, the laying of pipe way the structure beneath which it is boring. A further ob'ect of my-invention is to provide a device 0 the type described which employs the pipe to be laid as a means through which the loosened substance of the ground is removed. A further object of my invention is to provide a device of the type described by means of which the i pe which is to beplaced in the drilled tunne is gradually moved into place as the tunnel is bein formed.

A further ob'ect o vide a device 0 the type described which has novel means for adjusting the position or the slant of the ground-engaging portions with plication, in which.

. stationary respect to the supporting frame.

A further object of my invention is to provide a device of the type described to which detachable power means may be applied.

A further object ofmy invention is to provide a device of the type described which has novel means for moving forwardly or rearwardly.

Otherobjects and advantages will appear in the following specification, and the novel features of the invention will be-particularly pointed out in the appended claims. I

y invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, forming part of thisap- Figure 1 is a side elevation of my device, Figure 2 is a plan view of my device, Figure 3 is a section substantially along the line 33 of Figure 1, and A Figure 4 is an end elevation of my device, a portion thereof being broken away.

In carrying out my invention, I provide a puter frame 1 having guides 2 formed of channel iron. The frame '1 is mounted upon runners?) which have eyelets 4 and 5 secured to the front and rear ends respectively thereof.

A movable frame 6 is disposed in the stationary frame 1 and is provided with four guide rollers 7 which are rotatably mounted A are receivable inthe guides 2 which serve as upon each end thereof. The guide rollers 7 my invention is to pro-.

. a beveled the tunneling means 4 frame 6.

Application fled October 28, 1927. Serial No. 229,432.

4 A power shaft 10, to which any suitable an electric motor or mounted upon the frame 1 ina bearing 11.

A drive shaft 12 is disposed at right angles with respect to the power shaft 10 and 1ongi tudinally with respect to the frame 6. The drive shaft 12 is rotatably supported by bearin s 13 upon each end of the frame 6, and'a as a crank orwrench,

e5 power, not shown, may be attached, such as j' d a gasoline engine, is

re atively large bearing 14. is positioned in. I

close proximityto the power shaft 10. The power shaft is operatively connected to the drive shaft by-means of a beveled gear 15 which is mounted upon the power shaft and can 16 which is mounted upon the drive sha t, these gearsbein in mesh. A relatively small driven shaft f? is positioned beneath and in parallel relation with the drive shaft 12. The driven shaft 17 is oper atively connected to the drive shaft 12 by a gear 18 which is mounted upon the driven shaft and a gear 19 which is mounted upon the drive shaft, these gears being in mesh.-

An auger 20 is rotatably disposed in a tube 21 which is rotatably mounted in bearings 22. The bearings22 are rigidly'mounted in the The rear end of the auger 20 is rotatably mounted in a bearing 23 which is rigidly mounted in the frame 6. The auger 20 is operatively connected to the driven shaft 17 by means'of a chain 24 which passesover a sprocket wheel 25 mounted upon the driven shaft 17 and a sprocket 'wheel 26 mounted upon the auger 20. v

The tube 21 is operatively connected to the driveshaft 12 by means of a chain 27 which extends over a relatively small sprocket Wheel 28 which is rigidly mounted upon the vided in the tube 21 for a. purpose hereinafter described.

A flange union 31 is rigidly mounted upon the tube 21 and is arranged to receive a ipe 32. Thepipe 32 may be formed of sections of standard lengths. be formed by a certain number of standard The auger 20 may also lengths equal in number to the number of lengths of pipe 32 used. A boring bit 33 having cutters 34 extending transversely with respect to each other is rigidly secured to the end of the pipe 32 by means of a coupling 35. The. bit 33 is provided with cutaway portions 36 for a purpose hereinafter described.

A winch 37 having a central partition 38 is rigidly mounted upon a shaft 39 which is rotatably mounted in bearings '40. A relatively large sprocket wheel 41 is rigidly mounted upon the shaft 39 and is operatively connected to a relatively small sprocket wheel 42 by means of a chain 43. The sprocket wheel 42 is rigidly mounted upon one end of a relatively small shaft 44. A beveled gear 45 is rigidly mounted upon the other end of the shaft 44. Beveled gears 46 and 47 are movably disposed upon the drive shaft 12 but are made to rotate with the shaft 12 by mans of keys 48 and 49. A U-shaped gearmoving member 50 is movably disposed in bearings 51 upon the frame 6 and is operatively connected to the beveled gears 46 and 47, The member 50 is arranged to be moved by means of a lever 52 which is pivotally mounted at 53 upon the frame 6.

A wire rope 54 is secured to the eyelets 4 and passes through a pulley 55. The pulley 55 is mounted upon a su port 56. The wire rope 54 passes over a pu ley 57 which is 1'0- tatably carried by the frame 6, and then is wound around the winch 37 uponone side of the partition 38. Another wire rope 58 which I other side of the partition 38 passes over a pulley 59 and may ass through another pulley similar to that s own at 55. The free end pftth5e wire rope'58 is then secured to the eye- From the foregoing description of the various parts .ofthe device, the operation thereof may be readily understood. Let us assume that the o erator wishes-to tunnel beneath a street, in icated at 60. A ditch 61 is first dug at the side of the street and at right an les with respect thereto. The ditch 61. is su ciently large to receive the device and long enough to allow longitudinal movement of the deviceth'erein. The first length of pipe 32 and the first length of auger 20 are secured in place. The position of the pipe and auger the desired position 7 angle by may be adjusted with respect to the street'by actuating the adjusting screws 8 to raise or lower the tube and auger. It is obvious that the tube and auger may be tilted to a desired actuating only one of the adjusting screws 8. When the movable frame 6, together with its cooperating parts, mainly the pipe 32 and the auger, have been adjusted to with respectto-the level of the street, the support 56 may be rigidly secured in place by any suitable means.

As stated heretofore, any suitable power.

is wound around the winch uponfthe counter-clockwise direction, and as the auger 20 is operatively connected to the driven shaft 17, the auger will be rotated in a counterclockwise direction. eratively connected to the drive shaft 12 will be rotated in a clockwise direction. Therefore, the auger will be rotated at approximately the speed of the shaft 17 in a counterclockwise be rotated ata much slower speed, due to the reduction of the sprockets '29 and 28, .in a. clockwise direction.

As shown in Figure 2, the beveled gear 47 is moved into mesh with the beveled gear 45. Therefore, thewinch 37 will be rotated in a clockwise direction, causing the wire rope 54 to wind upon the winch. In this manner, the entire device will be moved forwardly within the ditch 61-, the runners 3'sliding upon the bottom of the ditch.

This forward movement causes the rotating pipe and drill bit to be forced into the ground beneath the street. It is obvious that the only outlet forthe matter made loose by the drill bitis through the pipe 32. The cutaway por- The tube 21. which is opdirection while the tube 21 will tions 36 allow the loosened matter to readily loosened dirt may be readily removed from the drill bit so as not to interfere with the operation thereof. As the loosened matter is drawn rearwardly, it is brought into registration with the elongated openings 30 and allowed to pass therethrough. -When the device has almost reached the -forward end of the ditch 61, the flange union '31 may be uncoupled and the device moved'rearwardly a suflicient distance to allow another section of pipe and still another section of auger to be attached thereto and to the first section of pipe and auger.

To move the device rearwardly, the beveled gear 47 is moved out of mesh with the. beveled gear 45, and the beveled gear 46'is moved in mesh with the beveled gear 45 by actuating the lever 52. When this is accomplish d, the winch will be rotated in a countercloc wise direction, causing the wire rope 58, to wind upon the winch 37. and draw the device rearwardly within the ditch 61. The device may again lever 52 to brin with the bevele be continued, a

the beveled gear 47 in mesh ear 45. This operation may ngasmany lengths of pipe is rotated at a faster speed than the rotation of the pipe, the

be moved forwardly by actuating the' tunneling and anger as is needed to extend beneath the street 60. When this has the sections of pipe may be released from the flange union 31 and the sections of auger may be removed from the sections of pipe one at a time. The drill bit maybe removed from the first section of pipe at the other side of the street. It isobvious therefore that a hole may be tunneled beneath a street, the pipe which is to be used serving as a portion of the tunneling means and the pipe remaining in the tunneled opening ready for use. It is also obvious that the device may be used for beneath alleys, buildings, or the like.

I claim 1. A device of the type described comprising a stationary frame, runners for said stationary frame, a movable frame disposed in said stationary frame, tunneling means carried by said movable frame, means for moving said movable frame with respect to said stationary frame for varying the position of said tunneling means with respect to said stationary frame, means carried by said movable frame for moving said frames and said tunneling means in one direction, and means cooperating with said moving means for mov ing said frames and said tunneling means in the opposite direction.

2. A device of the type described comprising runners, a stationary frame mounted upon saidrunners, a movable frame disposed in said stationary frame, means for moving said movable frame with respect to said stationary frame, tunneling means carried by said movable frame, said tunneling means comprising a tube having elongated openings therein, a main auger rotatably disposed in said tube, a pipe, means for securing one end of said pipe to said tube, an auxiliary auger disposed in said pipe and rigidly secured to said main auger, a drill bit secured to the other end of said pipe, means for rotatlng said tube, said pipe and said drill bit in one direction, means for rotating said angers in the opposite direction, and'means carried by said movable frame and operatively connected to said runners for moving said frames been accomplished,

and saidtunneling means in one direction for moving the drill'bit and the pipe into the ground, the rotation of said drill bit during the movement into the ground forms an opening therein, said drill bit being arrangedto allow the loosened matter to pass into said pipe, the rotation of said angers being adaptsaid movable frame, said tunneling" means comprising a tube having elongated openings therein, a main auger rotatably disposed in said tube, a pipe, means for securing one end of said pipe to said tube, an auxiliary auger disposed in said pipe and rigidly secured to said main auger, a drill bit secured to the other end of said pipe, means for rotating said tube, said pipe and said drill bit in one direction, means for rotating said augers in the opposite direction, means carried by said movable frame and operatively connected to said runners for moving said frames and said tunneling means in, one direction for moving the drill bit and the pipe into the ground, the

rotation of said drill bit during the movement into the ground forms an opening therein, said drill bit being arranged to allow the loosened matter to pass into said pipe, the rotation of said angers being adapted to move the loosened matter through said pipe, said tube and said openings, said pipe arranged to be removed from said tube, said auxiliary auger arranged to be removed from said main auger, means cooperating with said moving means for moving said frames, said tube and said main anger in the opposite direction, a second pipe having one end secured to said tube and the other end secured to said first named pipe, and asecond auxiliary auger having one end secured to said main auger and the other end secured to said first named auxiliary'auger. v e

' HENRY M. WATCHORN. 

